Harry was standing outside the school, waiting for Louis to show up. He had texted the younger boy to meet him outside the English doors, where Harry was currently standing. A good amount of time had passed since the bell had rung, but there was no sign of Louis anywhere.
Harry anxiously checked his phone for the hundredth time that minute. He expected something to pop up even though his phone was on vibrate, and he felt absolutely nothing. The corners of his mouth dropped when he saw only the time lit up across the small screen.
"Expecting something?" The voice was calm, but Harry jumped at how loud it was behind his ear. He turned around and saw Louis standing in the doorframe, holding open the heavy door with his body. The shorter boy wore a curious smirk, but Harry didn't fail to realize the way his fingertips fidgetted with his sweater sleeves.
"Nobody but you love." It was surprising how smooth his voice was, especially with the way that Harry felt at the moment. His heart fluttered as the grin on Louis' face only got bigger with each word Harry spoke.
"So do you live far or...?" Louis started, letting his voice trail off with the light breeze.
"No, it's super close. I just walk." Harry started walking left out of the school. "Let's go!"
The two boys walked in silence. It was only halfway to Harry's house when words were muttered, breaking the not-quite comfortable silence.
"Are you ready for the debate?" Harry almost didn't hear Louis' voice. It was quiet, cautious almost. The younger boy almost seemed like he was embarrassed to speak. Harry took a break from kicking the small pebble on the sidewalk to look at Louis' face. He blushed and looked away quickly.
Harry was almost disappointed that the other boy only wanted to talk about school. He didn't know why he expected more, but he thought he had developed a connection with Louis throughout the past week. Well, except for when he got manipulated by his girlfriend and broke his heart. The thought made Harry frown hugely.
"Harry?"
"Uh yeah, I mean, I think so?" Harry wasn't quite sure what the question was, but his answer was pretty universal. Louis shrugged and wrinkles forms by his eyes as he smiled lightly, so he could only figure that he had said the right thing.
"You'll do fine I'm sure." Louis flashed another smile. He sure was smiley today.
"We will do fine." Harry didn't like the way Louis make it sound like he was doing this alone. Obviously, Louis was going to go up there with him and absolutely kill it.
Another kick of the pebble, and the small stone landed on the layered bricks that lined Harry's driveway. He walked up the sloped surface and turned back to make sure the other boy was still following behind him. Louis was making his way up the driveway, turning his head to take in the surroundings. In a way, it was pretty adorable.
Harry stuck his key into the keyhole, twisting it to the right to click the door open. He held his breath, hoping that his parents weren't home. Apparently, his prayers were answered because the house was undisturbed from this morning, and there was a lack of keys dangling from the key box.
~
The pair settled down in Harry's messy room, which Harry apologized for over and over again. They soon realized there was nothing much else they could do for their debate. Harry just had to write his essay, but quite frankly, he was too lazy to do it at the moment.
"So Mr Tomlinson. I don't know much about you," Harry mocked a formal voice. He squinted his eyes slightly to look at Louis. "If that is your real name."
"No Harry, I'm not a spy." It was funny how Louis knew exactly what he was thinking. Harry burst out laughing and the shyer boy joined in not much later.
"Now that we've got that cleared up!" Harry's face was red from laughing. His chest hurt from the heavy breathing and he was lightheaded for the same reason. It wasn't even that funny, Louis just made it so much more hilarious.
"I find it cute that you find me funny." The smaller boy admitted.
"Did you just call me cute?" Harry smirked.
"No, I called your action cute."
"No, you just called me cute."
"I said it was cute that you found me funny." Louis tried to frown, but it turned into a little pout. "I never said you were cute."
"I think you just called me cute." Harry smiled, showing the little dimples on his cheeks.
"Fine, whatever"
"If it means anything, I think you're pretty adorable." Harry was being a cheeky bastard and he knew it. He wasn't usually like this. He believed in positivity, but he never was the 'spread love' kind of person. Being around Louis gave him a sense of confidence. It was like a high. A Louis high.
"Well, we can all have our opinions..." Louis started, shrugging sarcastically. "But you're wrong."
Harry wasn't sure how the other boy managed to shrug so sarcastically, but his words made Harry lose it. A small giggle came bubbling out of his mouth, quickly turning into another fit of laughter. Louis caught the infectious laughter, and they rolled around the floor together. It wasn't even that funny, but Harry felt like he was high on laughing gas. Louis just had that effect on him.
Hours flew by like minutes when Louis was around. It was an immediate comfort to Harry, and he wasn't usually one to trust people. It was odd how Harry didn't even hesitate to call him adorable. To anybody else, he would've been embarrassed out of his mind, but it was so easy to laugh when he was with Louis.
They were sitting on the floor of Harry's room, sitting on a rug like children even though there were plenty of chairs around. There was just something about the colourful thread that felt right in this situation. They traded stories, and for knowing each other for such a short amount of time, it was oddly personal.
The high was over. It was a low energy environment, but both boys were okay with that. They spoke to each other quietly, and the words that were spoken were accepted. There was no tension, no judgement. Harry's room was no longer just his room. He felt safe and at home, the faint smell of smoke still lingering.
"You know, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time." Louis let his words hang in the air. They got quickly received by Harry, who was lying on his back, face to the ceiling. His one knee was in the air, bent with his foot on the ground. His other leg was crossed over it, hanging over to the other side of his body. He could see Louis' sitting figure in his peripheral.
"I can fix that for you." Harry didn't dare say it, but he hadn't felt this happy in a while.
"You already have," Louis said slowly. Harry shot up from his position on the floor, not really listening to what Louis said.
"No I mean, I can fix that, forever." Harry was now vigilant, staring at Louis.
"What? Harry, you're kind of scaring me. That's kind of something a murderer would say." Louis bit his lip as Harry shot him a dirty look. "Just saying."
"It's okay, don't worry about it." Harry didn't know what came over him, just an overwhelming surge of feeling. He wasn't sure what feeling.
"What? Okay.." Louis stared with a very confused and slightly offended look. Harry sighed in relief as a tune filled the room from his phone ringing in his pocket. He excused himself quickly and stepped out of the tense room.
Harry waited until he was out in the hallway to check who was calling. His best friend's face filled his phone screen. It was one of the selections from when Liam and himself did one of those funny face picture slideshow things. Harry didn't really know what they were called but smiled at the past memory.
In fact, he had spent so much time staring at the actual picture that he completely missed the call. He was such an idiot sometimes. Harry called Liam back after slapping his face with his palm.
"Hey Li, what's up."
"Did you seriously miss my call by a second?" The disappointment could be heard through the phone.
"Psht. Of course not." First Harry shook his head but soon realized that Liam wouldn't be able to see that over the phone.
"What are you up to Harry?" Liam asked.
"Oh, I'm just at home. I have Louis over."
"Why?" Harry was taken aback by Liam's question. It was a little... direct.
"We're working on English. Partners remember?"
"Oh, yea." Harry could almost hear a frown on the other side of the phone.
"Yea, why are you calling me?" Harry thought it was a little weird. His best friend usually didn't call him unless he needed something, or he had news.
"Just reminding you of soccer tomorrow. Making sure you didn't forget"
"I didn't forget." Harry totally forgot about that. "Why would you think I forgot?"
"You're forgetful Harry." Liam snorted audibly. "Anyways, what's going on between you and Louis?"
"Nothing special Liam. Anyways, I'll tell you everything later okay?"
"You've been saying that for a week."
"So?" Harry was actually getting pretty annoyed with his best friend. "It's not like you've even told me your English topic."
"Whatever Harry, just tell me soon."
"Fine, whatever." Harry hung up.
It's not like Liam told him anything either. And he expects Harry to spill about everything. Well, they are best friends and all but they can't share everything. Liam won't even tell Harry something incredibly stupid like an English project.
Harry walked back to his room visibly upset. Louis immediately looked up at the older boy and his eyes dropped as soon as he saw Harry's expression.
"You okay?" His voice was soft and perfectly raspy, as usual.
"Yea." Harry smiled. "My best friend is being stupid.
"I should get going home. It's almost dinner." Louis smiled, and the sight immediately made Harry feel better. There was something about his smile that was so pure. Maybe it was the way his eyes glistened, or how his wrinkles made perfect creases on his face.
"At least let me walk you out the door." Harry smiled, the Liam situation already pushed to the back of his mind. The pair walked to the front door, trying to sneak in words as Louis was getting ready to go.
"Thank you, Harry. That was nice." Louis stepped out the door, leaving Harry alone in his house.
"Louis." Harry took a breath. His inhale was shaky, and his exhale wasn't much better. "May I kiss you?"
"Well." Louis looked at the ground. "I don't see why you would want to."
And then he walked away, leaving Harry with an open door, staring at a perfect boy walk away.
~
Harry heard his parents come home late that night. He didn't bother asking where they had been nor what they were doing. He just sat in his bed with his back against the wall. He had just taken a shower and slipped on his favourite sweater.
His mind couln't help but flash back to his situation with Louis earlier. Was their anything he could've done to get a different outcome? Obviously everything was going well until Harry just had to ruin it all.
A kiss. He asked for a kiss. Not even a hug. Did he even like Louis? What had come over him as he asked the boy for a kiss? Harry was so frustrated with himself that he wanted to pull his hair out. If he ruined their friendship because of this, there was no way he could possibly forgive himself.
He gently yanked at his curls as he listened to his parents speaking downstairs, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Harry was having a great day, but they he had to go mess everything up with Liam, then Louis, and now his parents were home to shove salt on his wounds.
Harry shut his eyes, cuddling his own sweater in his bed. His mind anxiously analyzed every situation that could have made the say go differently. He thought about his day over and over again until he finally fell alsleep, his soccer practice completely out of his mind.
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